Thank you, everybody, for joining us. I am with GReminders. My name is Xeaira Burkett, and I am the Partner Relationship Manager. For those who don’t know, GReminders is the only automated scheduling and reminders platform built for advisors. We directly integrate with the biggest CRMs in the financial sphere.
Today, I’m delighted to introduce our guest speaker, Katherine Beltran, the Manager of Strategy and Implementation at Simplicity Ops. Simplicity Ops is an RIA operations consulting company that helps advisors streamline their operational processes. Katherine, thank you so much for joining us. I’m going to let you take it from here.
Sounds good. I know we’ve got a lot to cover in a short amount of time. We’ll delve into the functions of GReminders and provide a sneak peek into the CRMs so you can see how everything ties together. As Zerra mentioned, my name is Katherine Beltran, but you can call me Kat or KT. I’m located in sunny Phoenix, Arizona. My main goal is to make advisors’ and admins’ lives easier by simplifying processes and expediting tasks while keeping our sanity intact.
Today, we’re going to dive into the concept of multiple event types and their importance in managing workflows and activity templates, which help you control your calendar. Often, people feel that their calendar controls them, not the other way around. I understand that pain and want to help reverse it.
Let’s start with the concept of event types. I’m going to switch between my PowerPoint, GReminders, Redtail, and Wealthbox to show you various features. Here I am, logged into our demo database. Keep in mind this is a demo, so some things might look unusual. Event types are crucial for organizing your processes. For instance, consider the sales process: an introductory call, a presentation, onboarding, and finally a welcome meeting. Each of these should have a specific event type.
Now, I know someone is thinking, “Do I have to build many of these?” Yes, but think of it as building once and using many times. It’s more efficient in the long run. Let’s look at an introductory call as an example. Name it clearly, like “Intro Call,” rather than something vague like “Meeting.”
Your location can vary. If it’s usually a phone call, put the phone number first. If it’s often a Zoom call, put that first. The first option should be the most common scenario, as it will be the default. You can also select the calendar associated with your CRM, whether it’s Microsoft, Redtail, etc.
Setting up buffers between meetings is essential to avoid back-to-back scheduling. You might need a break after an intense meeting. Define how many of these meetings you can handle in a day. An intro call might be shorter than a review meeting, so you can have more intro calls in a day.
Further customization includes setting form questions and posts. For example, capturing where a prospect came from or specific questions for discovery meetings can save follow-up emails. Always test your setup by previewing it to ensure it looks right.
You can automate reminders to reduce manual follow-ups. This brings us to the integration with CRMs. With GReminders, you can automatically link contacts, create new ones, and launch workflows. This automation saves time and reduces errors.
For Redtail users, remember not to check off “Add as attendee” to avoid unnecessary email notifications. For Outlook users, this is recommended to send calendar invites.
Integrating your CRM with your calendar platform, such as Redtail, is different from integrating the CRM alone. I always stress the importance of keeping everything in your CRM as much as possible. While it’s sometimes necessary to use a third-party source, your ultimate goal should be to build a comprehensive contact history within your CRM. This allows you to keep track of every meeting type and the last time you met with a client. Having this information centralized in your CRM is crucial for controlling what has been done and what still needs to be done for each contact.
For instance, if you meet with a prospect and feel there’s no potential for a positive relationship, don’t proceed and hope for a change. You are in control of your day-to-day interactions, so tailor your process accordingly. Whether you have fewer or more meetings, the key is to enhance the client experience and keep everything organized.
Setting up your system initially might require effort, but it’s a case of short-term pain for long-term gain. For example, using email templates in your CRM can streamline your workflow. You can embed scheduling links in these templates, allowing you to quickly send out meeting requests. If you need to schedule reviews for multiple clients, you can pull a list using keywords or tags, apply the email template, and send out the invitations in seconds.
For Google Chrome users, there’s also a plugin that provides quick access to these links. This can be particularly useful if you need to book appointments on behalf of clients who call in.
Building a robust system now will save you significant time in the future. Your future self will thank you for the effort. Now, I’ll address some questions that have come up:
Questions and Answers:
Can G Reminders check availability on multiple calendars?
Yes, G Reminders can check availability on multiple calendars. You can connect additional calendars and select which one to use as the primary calendar.
Can we send voice reminders?
Yes, you can set up automated phone call reminders. This feature allows you to customize the message and schedule the call in the same way you would with emails or text messages.
Does it automatically update the status in the CRM?
Yes, you can configure G Reminders to automatically set the status or category of a contact based on your CRM’s managed database list.
Is availability set at the user level or event type level?
Availability can be set at both levels. You can define general working hours and also set specific availability for different event types.
Can you choose more than one reminder method?
Yes, you can set multiple reminders using different methods (email, text, phone call) for the same event. This ensures better coverage and helps avoid missed appointments.
Do automated reminders create a personalized experience?
Yes, using variables and personalized messages in reminders can make the interactions feel more tailored to your clients or prospects.
Final Thoughts:
Automating your scheduling and reminder processes can save significant time and enhance the client experience. By integrating your CRM with your calendar and utilizing tools like G Reminders, you can streamline your workflow, reduce manual tasks, and ensure that important interactions are well-managed and documented.
Thank you for your attention, and if you have more questions, feel free to reach out to me or our support team. If you’re not part of our RA Operators Community, I highly recommend joining for additional insights and networking opportunities. Thank you again for joining this session.